Suspect in fatal Texas cop shooting captured

A manhunt is underway in Texas for Darbrett Black, who is alleged to have shot and killed a DPS trooper on Thursday. (Police handout)

The suspect in the fatal shooting of a Texas trooper with the Department of Public Safety was captured after an hours-long manhunt on Thursday.

Officials in Limestone and Freestone counties conducted a massive, hours-long search for the suspect, Darbrett Black, who fled the scene of the shooting in a grey Chevy Malibu. He was arrested in a neighboring county after a stand-off with law enforcement.

“Suspect in today’s fatal TXDPS trooper shooting in Freestone County has been captured in Waller County near Prairie View. Excellent operation by numerous agencies to take this suspect into custody with no additional casualties,” the Navarro County Office of Emergency Management said on Twitter.

Suspect in today’s fatal TXDPS trooper shooting in Freestone County has been captured in Waller County near Prairie View. Excellent operation by numerous agencies to take this suspect into custody with no additional casualties. #wallercounty#txdps#freestonecounty

According to police scanner traffic, two women may have also been in the suspect’s vehicle when the shooting happened, says a report on KBTX.com.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said on Twitter that the shooting occurred before 4 p.m. Thursday on Interstate 45 south of Fairfield, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of Dallas. The agency said the suspect shot and killed the trooper with a rifle during a traffic stop. The suspect then fled the scene.

Hours later, the Waller County Sheriff’s Office said the suspect’s vehicle was spotted in Hempstead, more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) south of Fairfield. Waller County authorities said shots were fired, but did not indicate who opened fire.

Authorities from multiple agencies were able to end a brief standoff, subduing the suspect and placing him under arrest.

Online jail records show that Black was last booked into the Smith County jail in Tyler on September 7, 2017 on charges of evading arrest, aggravated assault of a public servant and reckless driving, according to KBTX.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has released a statement that says: “I am saddened to hear of the tragic death of a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper killed today in Freestone County. This trooper died selflessly serving Texas.”

Governor Greg Abbott also released a statement on Thursday evening during the height of the manhunt.

“With heavy hearts on this Thanksgiving, Cecilia and I express our most sincere condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of the trooper who was callously killed today in the line of duty,” he said in the statement. “…The killer will face justice, and the State of Texas will continue to offer our unwavering support for the men and women in law enforcement who keep our communities safe.”

Thursday’s shooting marked the second in the line duty death for the Texas DPS.

Senior Trooper Thomas Nipper, 62, was conducting a traffic stop on the southbound shoulder of I-35 in Temple at approximately 3:05 p.m. on Saturday, November 4 when his patrol unit was struck from behind by a Chevrolet pickup, according to Fox 7 Austin.